America’s Oldest WWII Veteran Passes Away in Texas

Richard Overton's amazing life came to an end on Thursday evening in Austin, Texas.

At 112 years of age, Overton was believed to be the oldest World War II veteran in the nation, as well as the oldest living person in the state of Texas. He was surrounded by his family members when he passed away at a rehab facility in Austin. He had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia.

As a veteran of the United States Army, Overton was in his 30's when he volunteered for the Army and headed for Pearl Harbor just after the Japanese attack of 1941.

Overton once said the secret to his long life included smoking his favorite cigars and drinking whiskey on his front porch. Many people got to know Richard in 2013 when then President Obama invited Overton to Arlington National Cemetery to be honored with a select group of veterans.